Charge confusion?????

[Helidriver]

Hello All. I am trying to get my 175 SMK's up to the 2600fps mark. Sierra lists a max charge with 41.7gn of Varget at 2500fps. I am confused when I hear that guys are using 45gn of Varget with this bullet. What is really the max charge combination with these two? Hodgdon lists 45gr as the max with this bullet. Is Sierra just being very conservitive?

I am using Lapua brass and BR-2 primers if that makes a difference.

 

[Wil]

Re: Charge confusion?????

Books are written by lawyers...

Find MAX in YOUR rifle and carry on smartly...

 

[HotIce]

Re: Charge confusion?????

You need to check also the COAL of people reporting such charges, since they typically run very long COALs.
Also, as usual, assuming same COAL, start from the manual suggested base charge, and move up looking for signs of trouble.

 

[AUJohn]

Re: Charge confusion?????

Stick to the reloading manual loads.
IF you knew what you were doing you can try and run hotter but you need to spend some time reloading more and reading up before doing this. You need to know what to look out for and understand the risk.
Don't put much weight on what people post in forums about speeds and load data. Many have no idea what they are doing, how hot they are running or just plain talk things up.

Load for ACCURACY.

(If someone asks a basic reloading question then it's safe to safe they don't know enough to push loads....)

 

[mdmp5]

Re: Charge confusion?????

The issue is that THE max powder charge doesn't exist; only YOUR max charge. For all intensive purposes, the absolute maximum powder charge would be limited to the case capacity. A charge that may work fine in one rifle may blow another rifle apart. The published data is very conservative, but should still be respected. As Sediker says, increase your charges by 0.2 gr at a time, and back them off by 0.5 gr if pressure signs become visible.

 

[Joe Myles]

Re: Charge confusion?????

I would check another loading manual, they vary a bit. 41.7 is a light load for Varget and 175's in my rifle.

 

[jasonk]

Re: Charge confusion?????

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wil</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Books are written by lawyers...</div></div>

No, no, no. They are written by ballisticians.

They are edited by the lawyers.

 

[918v]

Re: Charge confusion?????

Sierra uses FC brass.

FC brass has a lower capacity than Winchester brass, hence a lower max charge weight. Also, FC brass is soft and cannot withstand max pressures as well as Winchester.